Robinson Pneumothorax Apparatus

Even before Dr. Robert Koch's discovery of the tubercle bacillus Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in 1882, the disease commonly known as "consumption" had been studied since at least the 11th century. Prior to the development of streptomycin in 1946, though, treatments for tuberculosis ranged from crude to gruesome — and all were largely ineffective.

This portable device, designed by Dr. Samuel Robinson (who later served as the 4th president of the AATS), was used to induce pneumothorax in a tuberculosis patient. After a thoracotomy incision, a trocar needle was passed into the intrapleural space, and gas — typically nitrogen or air — was pumped into the cavity, forcing the lung to collapse. The idea was to close the pockets of infection and force the lung to rest, giving the lung a better opportunity to heal. The concept was suggested by Dr. James Carson in 1833, and implemented in the 1880s by Dr. Carlo Forlanini in Italy, and Dr. John Murphy in the U.S., who used the newly-invented fluoroscope to improve the procedure. Artificial pneumothorax devices were built and improved by Brauer, Robinson, Cutler, Bethune, Davidson, and many others. Pneumothorax treatment was used extensively between 1900-1950, and was at least moderately successful in about 50% of cases.

Robinson's device was manufactured in the early 1900s by Codman & Shurtleff (now part of Johnson & Johnson), and by Pilling (now part of Teleflex). The device on display was used by doctors in Gatesville, Texas circa 1920-1950, and was restored to working condition earlier this month by CardioQuip's lead design engineer. In fact, two of the Gatesville doctors who once used the device were his great-grandfather, Dr. M. W. Lowrey (1875-1946), and his grandfather, Dr. E. E. Lowrey (1913-1999), who also developed and manufactured the first anatomically correct plastic human skeleton in the 1950s. The red residue in the manometer is from the dyed alcohol that was used as a level indicator. The trocar needle on display was made for the British military circa WWII by John Weiss & Son.

Although tuberculosis has been largely eradicated in the West, it remains the number one cause of death by infectious disease in the world, predominately in Africa and Asia. Worldwide, an estimated one in three people are infected with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, though only a small percentage develop symptoms.

Published April 2017

Additional Resources

Listing of the Robinson Apparatus in the 1913 ASTA Journal:

Listing of the Robinson Apparatus in the 1932 Pilling catalog:

Pneumothorax needles in the 1932 Pilling catalog:

Earlier (circa 1910) and later (circa 1930) models of the Robinson Apparatus:

Tubing connection schematic:

Glassmaker's mark (Whitall Tatum & Co.) on the underside of the bottles: